From fungal nail infections to cracked skin, the feet need special care and attention to maintain good foot health
Our feet do a lot, so it is vital we stay on our toes when it comes to foot care and there is a range of over-the-counter products to help achieve this, as well as preventative measures people can take to help keep their feet healthy.
Checking the sole of the foot, around the heels, and between the toes every day can help identify issues before they become a problem. Checking for hard skin, cuts, corns, blisters, spots, and any red or swollen areas is also recommended.
The HSE advises that toenails should also be cut straight across, and that the sides should not be cut. Nails should also not be cut too short. The nail clipper should be disinfected after use. Bursting blisters and sitting for long periods are to be avoided.
But even with the best of precautions, it is unlikely that a person will be able to avoid common complaints completely.
Cracked heels, athlete’s foot, hard skin, and verrucas are all common foot complaints. Hard skin or calluses can form over a cracked area of the foot, especially around the heel area or on the skin under the ball of the foot. As well as these conditions, many people can also experience tired feet, which can result from a range of reasons, including poorly-fitting footwear, being overweight, age, and physical activity. Feet can also become injured through sport and accidents.
The local pharmacy is the ideal place for advice and treatment. In terms of preventing injuries, simple advice such as doing RICE (Rest; Ice; Compression; and Elevate) therapy can help relieve symptoms.
Painkillers such as ibuprofen, paracetamol, and over-the-counter pain medications are also available. Heat and cold packs, and a large range of creams to ease muscle pain, can also be helpful. Deep Heat and Deep Freeze products are some of the best-known treatments for sports-related aches and pains and are a staple of many people’s kit bag.
Therapies
Biofreeze products are also very popular, providing fast-acting cold therapy treatment. These products come in a spray, gel, and patches and are readily available from the community pharmacy.
Another popular cream, particularly for athletes, is Ovelle Menthol & Wintergreen Cream. Becoming increasingly popular, it is used for the symptomatic relief of muscular pains, lumbago, rheumatic pain, fibrositis, and strains.
Other products available over the counter are from the Voltarol range. Voltarol Emulgel P brings targeted and localised relief from pain and swelling in muscles and joints.
Voltarol Emulgel P contains an anti-inflammatory drug called diclofenac, which targets the source of pain and has been used as a pain reliever for over 30 years in Ireland. Diclofenac gets through the skin barrier as well as offering a cooling effect to ease the painful and red areas of the body. It provides a triple effect by relieving pain at source and reducing inflammation, which helps speed-up recovery and combines the benefit of a moisturising cream with the properties of a gel.
Voltarol Emulgel Extra Strength gel can provide all-day relief from pain and swelling in joints and muscles. This pain and swelling can be caused by overuse of muscles and joints during physical activity such as walking, exercise, gardening or any other physical activity, but the extra strength gel can help a patient take back control of their life by providing long-lasting pain relief.
Epsom salts are world famous for easing muscle pain and soreness, and this is available in a host of products.
Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts Gel with arnica is a natural fragrance-free gel infused with aloe vera designed to support natural muscle recovery. It is suitable for professional athletes, those doing endurance training, adults and teens suffering from muscle and joint pain, and people with no time or access to Epsom salt baths. Ultrapure also has an Epsom salt product. Ultrapure Laboratories Epsom Salts infused with Lavender Essential Oil is an effective and natural way to relax and unwind after exercise or simply a busy day.
Diclac Relief 1% Gel is also a popular and trusted brand. It is an anti-inflammatory gel used for pain relief and to reduce inflammation. Diclac Relief is suitable for use with injured or damaged joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and in local soft tissue bruising.
Supports
As well as creams, sprays, and pain relievers, the community pharmacy has a range of supports and insoles you can suggest to customers.
One of these is the Scholl Gelactiv Sport range, which is developed to effectively absorb shocks and help reduce excessive pressure from running or other sports. With a strong arch support and cushioning, it is carefully designed to fit athletic footwear. Another is Scholl Party Feet Invisible Gel Heel Shields. These are adhesive gel strips for the back of the heel that help protect against the rubbing and friction that can occur when wearing high heels.
There is also Scholl Arch Pain Relief Insoles. They are designed to provide gentle arch support with a cushioned metatarsal dome to redistribute pressure relief. Scholl Arch Pain Relief insoles contour to the feet to provide clinically proven pressure relief.
There is also a range of treatments to protect and maintain feet. One of these is CeraVe SA Renewing Foot Cream. This is a rich yet non-greasy cream for dry, rough feet. It is formulated with three essential ceramides and salicylic acid, and this fast-absorbing cream works to gently exfoliate skin while effectively moisturising. CeraVe products have been developed with dermatologists, and its patented MVE Technology provides continuous hydration for up to 24 hours.
Compeed, which has agreed a partnership with parkrun in Ireland and the UK, offers high-quality solutions for preventing and treating blisters, corns, calluses, bunions and more.
Compeed Blister Plasters offer a wide variety of specialist solutions to help prevent blister development or speed-up the healing process of a range of sizes and shapes of blisters. They contain an active hydrocolloid gel technology that, in addition to providing cushioning, will give you instant pain relief and create a protective environment for the blister to heal. In clinical studies, Compeed blister plasters have been demonstrated to provide instant pain relief and extra cushioning. They have also been shown to heal 20 per cent faster than regular plasters.
For bunions, there is also Compeed Bunion Plasters. A bunion is a bony lump or deformity that forms on the side of the big toe. It happens when the joint of the big toe grows sideways. This pushes the bones of the big toe towards the smaller toes.
Bunions can be incredibly painful. While only surgery can remove the bunion, Compeed Bunion Plasters, which are specially designed to fit around the foot, provides instant relief from painful pressure and rubbing. They help to prevent blisters and further hardening of the skin, which can lead to other painful skin conditions.
Another popular and trusted brand is Scholl, which provides a range of products to treat many problems such as corns.
Scholl Corn Foam Cushions optimum shape makes the cushion suitable for soft and hard corns. Due to the hypo-allergenic adhesive, the felt pads are suitable for sensitive skin. The dual-layer construction comprises two soft foams with different densities, which guarantees maximum cushioning and pressure relief.
To maintain soft and healthy feet, it’s important to remove hard skin and moisturise with special creams on a regular basis, Scholl said. To remove hard skin, use the Scholl’s Velvet Smooth Electronic File System, as it gently buffs away dead skin to reveal smooth, soft skin beneath. There is also Scholl Cracked Heel Repair Cream Active Repair K+, which moisturises the skin and provides ‘active’ skin repair for rough, dry, cracked heels.
Scholl Gel Toe Spreader offers targeted relief by gently separating toes to reduce friction and discomfort. Designed with soft gel, these spreaders help alleviate pressure caused by overlapping toes and provides improved alignment. They are ideal for daily use, promoting comfort while maintaining a natural toe position, supporting foot health and preventing irritation.
Pumice stones for removing hard skin are also available from the local pharmacist.
Fungal infections
Fungal nail infection affects one-in-four people. Even well cared-for feet can catch a fungal nail infection. The infections are highly contagious and thrive in moist, warm environments, like warm sweaty shoes, walking barefoot in communal showers, or the gym for example. Fortunately, the fungal nail can be easily treatable if tackled early.
The Nailner range is clinically proven to effectively tackle fungal nail infections. Nailner 2-in-1 Brush XL treats and brightens nails, with visible results after only seven days. No filing is required before application and it is ideal for treating multiple infected nails. Also in the range is the Nailner Regular Brush, which is also proven to be effective against nail fungus, and is also effective in preventing infections. No filing is required and each bottle contains 300 applications. The Nailner Multi-Action Pen also provides results within seven days, no filing is required, and each pen contains around 400 applications, and the Nailner Multi-Action Brush provides similar results. Also in the range is the Nailner Active Cover, which is a revolutionary treatment and nail polish all-in-one. It instantly covers discolouration and the peel-off technology both treats and prevents nail infections. Nailner Treat and Colour also treats and paints nails and does not ‘lock in’ the fungus, which can make the problem worse. It instantly treats discolouration and treats both healthy and infected nails.
The Flexitol range also contains products that are clinically proven to be effective. Flexitol Cracked Heel Balm is effective in treating dry, cracked skin on the foot, with results visible in only one day. Flexitol Hard Skin Removing Balm softens a build-up of hard skin, producing results within three days. It helps to enhance moisture levels with a urea and glycolic acid formulation and also contains emollients to gently exfoliate and renew the skin. Also in the range is Flexitol Dry Skin Foot and Leg Cream, which is proven to moisturise and hydrate skin, and contains urea complex and vitamin E to help soften skin. Flexitol Revive Overnight Cream replenishes moisture overnight, with visible results within 24 hours. The formulation combines urea, allatonin and amino acids, as well as shea butter to create a protective layer to provide intense hydration and lock-in moisture. For warts and verrucas, Flexitol Freeze-It Verruca and Wart Treatment is highly accurate and freezes warts and verrucas in seconds. Its formulation treats an affected area in just one application.
A product like Scholl Fungal Nail Treatment also helps treat the infection. It is a uniquely designed system, scientifically proven for the treatment of fungal nail. The discrete, easy-to-use liquid has been specially formulated to penetrate into the nail to treat the fungal infection at its source. It also helps to prevent the spread of the fungus and protects against recurrence. It is an effective solution that can be used at home.
Athlete’s foot is also a very common complaint. Symptoms include scaly, peeling, or cracked skin between the toes, fluid-filled blisters, and itchiness.
People are advised to not scratch affected skin, as this can spread the infection to other parts of the body. Protective footwear like flip-flops should be worn in public pools, showers, and locker rooms, where the infection is likely to be.
A person is also more likely to get it if they have wet or sweaty feet, or if the skin on the feet is damaged. However, keeping feet dry is difficult, as a person has approximately 125,000 sweat glands in each foot, and each foot can produce 4 ounces of moisture a day.
Athlete’s foot should be treated as soon as possible with a specialised product like Scholl Athlete’s Foot Cream to help prevent the infection from spreading to the nails. The cream contains an anti-fungal ingredient that is clinically proven to treat athlete’s foot effectively. It also provides long lasting treatment. It has a seven-day treatment time, kills the fungal infection and soothes itching.
Scholl’s Antifungal Shoe Spray is also an effective disinfectant that kills 99.9 per cent of the fungus that cause athlete’s foot and fungal nail. It helps prevent recurrence of fungus in shoes.
